ABC barely avoided a record-low NBA rating opposite Duke-North Carolina.
Clippers-Bulls pulled a 1.1 final rating and 1.7 million viewers on the latest edition of ABC’s NBA Saturday Primetime, down a tick in ratings and 10% in viewership from Rockets-Bulls last year (1.2, 1.9M) and the lowest rated and least-watched game in the short history of the Saturday night series (14 telecasts).
The Clippers’ win tied the third-lowest NBA rating ever on broadcast television, matching Mavericks-Magic and Mavericks-Nets in back-to-back weeks 13 years ago. The lowest rated games are Suns-Kings in 2007 and Rockets-Wizards in 2015, both of which mustered a mere 1.0 rating opposite the NCAA Tournament.
Head-to-head, NBA Saturday Primetime was more-than-doubled by ESPN’s competing Duke-North Carolina college basketball game in ratings (2.4 to 1.1), viewership (4.1M to 1.7M) and adults 18-49 (1.2 to 0.5). It was also pummeled by Premier Boxing Champions on CBS in all three measures (1.9, 3.1M, 0.9 A18-49).
To put the numbers in perspective, the lowest rated and least-watched primetime NHL telecast had a 0.8 rating and 1.4 million viewers (Rangers-Flyers on NBC in 2015). The lowest rated and least-watched primetime MLB game had a 0.7 and 1.0 million, with the caveat that it faced the Olympics and was not exclusive (Rays-Yankees on FOX last year). Several primetime college football games have delivered lower numbers, though that is usually the result of cannibalization from games on other networks.
In other action last weekend, Warriors-Knicks scored a 2.1 and 3.3 million — down 13% in ratings and 12% in viewership from Warriors-Lakers last year (2.4, 3.7M) but up 17% and 15% respectively from Clippers-Warriors in 2015 (1.8, 2.8M). Not counting Christmas, it was ABC’s top Sunday game this season (four telecasts).
(Wknd. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily 3.7)
